LNA in hand, Lily Call is poised to pursue nursing and diagnostic imaging in college

When Lily Call first arrived at St. Johnsbury Academy (STJA) four years ago, the school and the campus felt enormous. The scale and diversity of the student body, and the offerings at the Academy, were a "wow moment," Lily says.

Now in her senior year, Lily is fully immersed in academics as well as the extracurriculars offered at STJA. She was on tech crew and was a stage manager for two-and-a-half years for the school theater productions. She represents fellow students on the class council, where she’s held a seat for four years. As she gets ready to start college next year, she’s working toward degrees in nursing and radiologic sciences.

Sparking an interest in health care and human service

Lily grew up in Waterford, in a household shared with her mother, grandparents, and younger sister. Lily says that her family is incredibly supportive of her goals; while her family didn’t push her to go to college, they encouraged her to explore all her options and make an informed decision.

And Lily is doing just that. Through the human services courses she was able to take at STJA, Lily began to see a possible professional outlet for her natural empathy. Her family has always emphasized the value of local connections, and she took on internship opportunities at Saint Johnsbury’s Hiller Orthodontics, the Pines Rehabilitation and Health, and Kozlowski Dentistry to observe health care professions.

Then, a summer intensive LNA course caught her eye, and she enrolled. The coursework included clinical rotations at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH), where she was able to work with patients during some of their most difficult moments.

"I really enjoyed it,” she shared. “Working with people and caring for them when they were struggling really fit me. I learned so much about how people deal with stress and pressure. Those experiences nailed down for me that I’m on the right path." Lily passed her LNA licensure test last July at just 17 years old.

Lily was also able to do a job shadow at NVRH, which kindled a parallel interest in diagnostic imaging. She started looking into what she would need to do to get licensed in nursing or radiology, which led her to VSAC Outreach Counselor Trish Turner, who works in VSAC’s GEAR UP college and career readiness program.

Navigating the application and financial aid process as a first-generation student

“I started meeting with Trish every month,” Lily says. “This is a new experience for me and for my family, so she’s answering a ton of questions for us. She’s also always willing to meet with us,” she adds.

Trish gave Lily feedback on her scholarship essay, helped her with the FAFSA financial aid forms, and worked to identify scholarships for which she might be eligible. “College is a financial burden for us,” Lily shares, “So I want to work as hard as I can to get as much assistance as I can to make this a possibility for me.”

For a student juggling high honors, class council, and multiple other extracurriculars, having a dedicated professional to demystify the FAFSA and the Vermont Grant proved essential. "She really cares about me and checks in with me about what I’m doing and how I’m doing,” Lily adds.

Growing her confidence at STJA and beyond

Although Lily says she walked through the Academy’s doors a little shy and apprehensive, she pushed herself to step out of her comfort zone and got more involved. At the same time, she’s stacking up as many classes as she can, and using dual enrollment to take college courses like Medical Terminology and Intro to Nutrition.

Lily’s dream school is Vermont State University (VTSU), where she hopes to achieve degrees in radiologic sciences and nursing. She describes VTSU as representing a balance of high-quality training and affordability, and because it's close to home, she hopes she’ll be able to stay close by. Lily plans to access the nursing program at the nearby Lyndon campus, and the radiologic sciences program in Williston. While there is some commuting in her future, Lily says she doesn’t mind saving money by living at home.

Lily’s motivation for staying close to home in her local Vermont community is simple: she wants to be part of the solution for the state's healthcare workforce. "I’ve always worked really hard at my grades, maintaining high honors," she said. "I want to stay in my local community both for school and after because I want to make an impact on a small town."

There are just a few months left before high school graduation, and Lily is excited to take her next step. With her scholarship and financial aid applications submitted and her LNA license already in hand, she’s ready for what comes next.